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Many Words

Pitch 1.
The week before the trip, Shirley and I went to a local crag after work to remind ourselves on how to efficiently pass a knot on rappel – a skill required to reach the start of the Lost Arrow Tip route. It’s no rocket science but certainly can be a time-consuming pain in the ass. On Friday, the departure day, a brilliant idea had occurred to me: let’s just save time by getting some long line and foregoing the whole knot-passing business. Rushed out and got 300 feet (at a nice discount) of 3/8 inch static rope. Now we were really committed to the climb.
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Top of P1.
Though we did not talk about it at first, there was an air of anticipation as we cooked up the Ramen noodles on Saturday night. This was to be my second real aid lead (not counting the one or two bolt ladders) and the first to carry a “C1+” or “C2” rating (the C2 came from Supertopo). It was certainly going to be one of the most exposed climbs we’ve done to date. Our desire to nail it was strong – the sight of the spire in photos never failed to impress me.
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Yosemite Falls.
The long – but knot-free – rappel brought us to the notch on the backside of the Spire. Not too impressive from this vantage point. Shirley came down and we tied in with the lead rope. We also had a second 60 m rope which was to serve a dual purpose: (1) it would do away with any need for Shirley to lower off or pendulum after cleaning a piece on a traverse move and (2) we might need two ropes for the “limp Tyrolean” traverse (a term coined by Craig Peer when I described the procedure we used) off the summit.
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Shirley on Lost Arrow Spire.
Salathe Ledge is spacious and comfortable. The belay consists of three new bolts. Shirley comes up with the static line in tow and soon we are working hard to sort out the cluster of ropes and aiders. My left eye feels as though some sand fell into it. Keep rubbing it. Couple of pictures, few sips of water, and it’s time for me to find the beginning of pitch 2…..OK, a few more pictures. Where exactly does P2 start? Finally notice a nice bolt at the far left edge of Salathe Ledge. Clip in, step up expecting to see the route clearly laid out in front of me. Instead, all I find is some old shoe lace slings hanging from an old peg at the beginning of a shallow finger crack. This is the point from which the climb derives its reputation for sudden exposure – the moment you step beyond the left edge of Salathe Ledge, you have 1000+ feet of vertical wall and air below your feet.
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Start of tyrollean.
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Shirley jugging.
Quick hike back to camp, a brief rest and once again we’re facing the endless switchbacks of the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail. The hike down is uneventful. We stop once again to admire the Spire from below. The hike down takes an hour and half. As we approach the trailhead at about 8pm, we’re worried that the Yosemite City bus system might not be running any longer at this hour. Not looking forward to having to hike back to Curry! To our great relief, the buses run till 10pm. A brief 45 minutes later (the bus system sucks….they’ll need a subway soon) we’re at Curry Village buying Red Bulls for the drive back. I’m about 80+% blind in my left eye now seeing nothing but light blurs from headlights. Shirley faces having to do the long drive back to Sacramento. We get to the outskirts of the city at about 12:45am on Monday. Normally we’d sleep in the car till our 6:30am flight but we’re planning on heading straight back to work. We splurge on the always luxurious Motel 6. Shower, two hours of sleep, and we’re back in hell known as work…..Oh well, next weekend is coming!
Many Photos

Yosemite Falls and Lost Arrow Spire from Glacier Point Overlook (June 2006).

Yosemite Falls and the Lost Arrow Spire from the trailhead (June 2004).

The Sentinel from the hike up (June 2004).

Fully loaded up Shirley on the afternoon hike up (June 2004).

Half Dome from the hike (June 2004).

In all her glory (June 2004).

A closer look (June 2004).

Shirley, Yosemite Falls and Lost Arrow Spire (June 2004).

The Falls and The Spire (June 2004).

Lost Arrow Spire in profile from high on the trail (June 2004).

Yosemite Falls and Lost Arrow Spire (June 2004).

Evening meal in our low key camp at the rim (June 2004).

Gearing up for one fantastic adventure in the morning (June 2004).

Yosemite Valley Lodge as seen from the notch on the backside of Lost Arrow Spire (June 2004).

Looking up at the backside of The Spire from the notch (June 2004).

And a view up-valley at Glacier Point (June 2004).

Shirley on the nearly 300 foot rap into the notch (June 2004).

Shirley belaying me on the first pitch out of the notch (June 2004).

Instant exposure (June 2004).

Another downward vista from the lead of pitch 1 (June 2004).

Shirley following pitch 2 (June 2004).

Hazy view of The Porcelain Wall on the right side of Half Dome (June 2004).

Dragging up our escape line (June 2004).

Shirley arriving at the first belay (June 2004).

Nice altimeter there fuckface (June 2004).

On the spacious belay ledge (June 2004).

Yosemite Falls with the perma-rainbow (June 2004).

Starting pitch 2 (June 2004).

Step off the belay ledge and instant exposure – such a great position for a low entry price (June 2004).

C1 hooking (June 2004).

More views towards Shirley (June 2004).

Yosemite Falls from pitch 2 (June 2004).

View down (June 2004).

View up (June 2004).

Another view down (June 2004).

View up-valley towards Glacier Point Apron on the right (June 2004).

View down (June 2004).

What a fantastic position!

Shirley approaching the summit (June 2004).

Arriving on the summit (June 2004).

Looking back at Shirley from the start of the (limp) tyrollean (June 2004).

View down from the tyrollean traverse back to the rim (June 2004).

Shirley sunbathing on the summit of Lost Arrow Spire following our climb of Lost Arrow Tip route and watching me sweat on the final jummar section back up to the rim. Ropes are fluttering in the afternoon breeze (June 6, 2004).

Back on the rim, looking back at Shirley rigging up for her tyrollean on the summit of Lost Arrow Spire (June 2004).

Shirley and The Valley (June 2004).

Shirley on Lost Arrow Spire (June 2004).

Shirley on Lost Arrow Spire summit (June 2004).

Lost Arrow Spire (June 2004).

And off into the void (June 2004).

Shirley on the traverse (a “limp” traverse; June 2004).

Mid-traverse (June 2004).

A close-up (June 2004).

Just before the jug to the top of the rim (June 2004).

Shirley starting the jug to the top of the rim (June 2004).

Views down-valley dominated by The Sentinel (June 2004).

Shirley ready for a beer (June 2004).

Shirley jugging to the rim (June 2004).

Shirley jugging (June 2004).

Back at the rim (June 2004).

Done (June 2004).

Shirley back at the rim and happy to be done (June 2004).

Hiking back to camp above Yosemite Falls (June 2004).

A quick snack back in camp and then it’s time to hike down. Need to be back in Portland for work tomorrow morning (June 2004).

Start of the hike down (June 2004).

Shirley on the evening hike down (June 2004).

Another look at The Falls and The Spire from the hike down (June 2004).

Evening glow on Half Dome (June 2004).

Lost Arrow Spire (June 2004).

Shirley waiting for the Yosemite Valley shuttle bus after our climb of Lost Arrow Tip…thought we were going to miss the last one and be a tad late for work but we made it (June 6, 2004).
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